Diana Gamage incident in parliament: Committee to deliver final decision today

A final decision relating to the recent war of words and claims of alleged assaults involving State Minister Diana Gamage and SJB MPs Sujith Sanjaya Perera and Rohana Bandara in parliamentary premises will be given today (09).

This remark was made by Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse, the chairman of the committee appointed by Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to look into the matter. The committee consists of MPs Chamal Rajapaksa, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Gayantha Karunatilleka and Imthiaz Bakeer Markar.

On October 20, during the parliamentary session, Gamage accused Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s MP Sujith Sanjaya Perera of assaulting her outside the Chamber and called for a comprehensive investigation into the matter. This prompted the temporary adjournment of the session by Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse, at the request of PM Dinesh Gunawardena.

After the session resumed, Chief Opposition Whip SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said the opposition MPs had met up with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and showed him video footage of Diana Gamage using foul language at an opposition MP and behaving in an unruly manner.

Defending his actions, MP Sujith Perera has said that he had witnessed Diana Gamage becoming embroiled in a heated argument with his fellow MP Rohana Bandara, and when asked to give it a rest, the state minister had attacked him. The SJB parliamentarian said he only acted in self-defence. MP Perera also urged the Deputy Speaker to conduct an impartial investigation into the matter.

Meanwhile, MP Rohana Bandara has accused the State Minister of following him and verbally attacking him near the elevator.

Following the conclusion of the parliamentary session, the three parliamentarians were once again involved in an intense war of words, which was captured by MP Perera on his mobile phone.

In the aftermath of the aforesaid unruly events unfolded in Parliament, the Cabinet of Ministers on Oct. 23 gave the nod to establish an independent body to oversee the conduct of lawmakers. Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe had tabled a joint proposal in this regard.